Be careful what you wish for
by Madame Y
Summary: Severus is watching the moon rise and pondering on his relationship with Hermione.


Severus smiled contentedly at the moon rising above him. Remus would usually be beginning his change, but not tonight. Tonight would be different.  
  
Albus had come to him and said that he should put the past behind him and work on a cure for the 'poor man' as some recompense for his work during the war. Yes, poor Remus, leading such a dreadful life sitting in the safety and security of headquarters whilst others went out risking their life and life spying for the Order. But spying was a dirty business, and seldom got the respect it deserved. It wasn't brave or noble or reckless enough; it wasn't Gryffindor.  
  
He'd demurred; a reaction that Albus had clearly expected and prepared for. His arguments that a cure wasn't possible had been brushed aside as polite understatement of his abilities. His complaint that he wouldn't have enough time to work on the cure, with all his teaching responsibilities, had been brushed aside too.  
  
It seemed Albus had an answer for everything, because, to compound the insult, he'd been given an assistant. And he had been firmly instructed to take her under his wing. Her. Miss Granger. She of the enquiring mind and the helpful suggestions. And of the shapely arse and the trembling breasts: he could watch her prepare ingredients for hours.  
  
Not that she'd ever looked at him.  
  
She'd been respectful and diligent, which had been a relief; he'd been expecting constant questions and demands for information. They had come to what Albus had called a working relationship, and the work had progressed well.  
  
Then Lupin had arrived to disturb their calm. She was different round him; she smiled more. There were little jokes and confidences; nothing more complicated than friendship but it nagged at him. Her silence began to annoy him.  
  
He wanted her to smile at him like that.  
  
He tried talking to her about their work, and she thawed a little, but still the werewolf was the favoured one.  
  
His old friends bitterness and envy claimed him; his whole life had been spent in the shadow of the Marauders. They were always the more popular, the more admired, and for what? What magical property did Remus possess that made him likeable; he'd never understood why such reckless, thoughtless, bullies were admired when other, quieter people, were passed by.  
  
Their work progressed well. She'd made the discovery about the variation of the Wolfsbane that they were administering tonight, despite his attempts to lead her down a yet another blind alley. If it worked Remus should be free of his affliction forever, and then she would leave.  
  
It just might have worked, if it hadn't been for the contamination of the Wormwood. Such an easy mistake to make, as everyone would tell her; only an experienced potions master would have been able to tell the difference. And he, of course, had been busy elsewhere.  
  
Such a shame that he hadn't been able to stop the tragedy from occurring.  
  
Still everyone would be able to see how sympathetic and supportive he would be of Miss Granger, how he would encourage her to continue the work for the benefit of others, and they would triumph in the end after several months more hard work.  
  
He reckoned one of the house elves would find the body tomorrow. It would be in his human form, all pale and cold, folded in on itself. The poison would have been very painful, but he'd tell Hermione that it would have been quick. She was bright though; she would probably work it out.  
  
Poor Hermione would take the news badly, he was sure. She prided herself on her intellect, and her ability to master every problem. She'd never truly made a mistake in her life, and to make one so grave would be a severe blow to her self-confidence and it would take a long time for her to recover.  
  
A time in which he would be there to offer a shoulder to cry on and reassure her that she was still the brightest witch of her generation; praise that would be all the sweeter to her after being withheld so long.  
  
He had kept his promise to Albus: Remus was free of the curse, and he would indeed be taking Miss Granger under his wing.  
  
Severus Snape smiled contentedly at the moon rising above him. 


End file.
